Sir, - Our thanks must go to The Irish Times for devoting a page to the thoughts of T.K. Whitaker on the occasion of his 85th birthday.
It is good to be reminded of the character and calibre of this great man who brought such a patriotic sense of purpose to his dedicated years of public service to this country.
We live in an age when yesterday can often be a forgotten country. Yet if we are to continue to reap a good harvest we need to know how the seed was sown. We need to be reminded.
Dr Whitaker received his second- level education at a Christian Brothers school and goes on to say the following about Irish education:
"Secondary education became a free service in 1968, extending and strengthening the dedicated work of religious orders for many decades previously in providing broad second-level courses at low cost for boys and girls of less well-off families".
A timely tribute.
Religious vocations are in sharp decline nowadays. Fewer and fewer schools are run by members of religious orders. The torch is being passed on.
We need to be reminded of the extraordinary contribution made to the growth and development of this country by men and women who got their education and character formation in schools that were founded, funded and run by members of religious orders of both genders. To overlook that is to overlook what Pearse called "the mighty sowing".
Sadly, there is much negative focus on the religious in recent times. However, to seek to suggest that the evil deeds of a number of depraved wretches is the totality of the religious story is in itself an insidious form of abuse - an abuse of the truth.
We ought to be able to fillet out the evil-doers and exercise justice on the one hand and have the decency to acknowledge the full picture at the same time. The truth must stand.
Meanwhile we wish Dr Whitaker many more years of good health. We rejoice in the decision to dedicate the new learning and research centre at Dundalk to his name. That noble name will go on to inspire and challenge future generations of young Irish men and women.
As for the rest of us, "twill serve to remind us of what people of vision and patriotism can achieve". - Yours, etc.,
Senator Mβir∅n Quill, Wellesley Terrace, Wellington Road, Cork.